Venetian blind



March 2s, 1939.

w. WADE ET AL 2,152,116

VENETIAN BLIND 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 28, 1937 T/I/lliam Wade 'i and Edwin Narffz INVENTORS THUR ATTORNY.

March 28, 1939.

w. WADE ET A1.

VENETIAN BLIND Filed Jan. 28, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Walde I l l l and Edwin Norfz '1NvENToRs BY muy 11115111 MTORNEY. t v

menten/1m28, 1939 Y UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE vvrlvtz'rmrz'nnvn william wma'omesge, and Edwin North, Roekford, IIL, assign'ors to National Lock Company, Rockford, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application .raum 2s, 1937; serial No. 122.792. 12 claims. (crise- 11) 'Ihis invention relates to Venetian blinds, and

particularly to a blind of the so-,called chain tape type, and has amongits important objects the l provision of a novel operating mechanism by .5 which both the vertical or. folding movement as well as the tilting movement of the blind may be eected conveniently and with a positive and smooth action.

More particularly stated,`an important object 1o of the invention is the provision of an operating mechanism including a top rail or can'iage having a rotatable drum or roller on which' lthe chain tape is wound, together Iwith mechanism for simultaneously rotating the drum and sliding i5 it longitudinally along its axis of rotation, wheref by twinsets of supporting chains or tapes may be uniformly wound onto the drum to eiect the raising and lowering of thev slats.

An additional and important object is the pro- 50 vision with the mechanism just above described of mechanical means cooperating with the drum and top rail to oscillate the entire top rail and drum structure about a horizontalgaxis to effect the tilting of the slats independently of the. rais'- lng and lowering operation and mechanism.

Still another and specific object of the'invention is the provision of a blind operatingmech- 1 anism having a. principal top'rail supported for' oscillation about a horizontal axisand having .30 depending therefrom twin pairs of slat supportling chains 'eifective to tilt the slats when the top rail is pivoted about its horizontal axis, together with a gear mechanism operable by an endless chain and pulley device to oscillate the 35 rail, the blind operating mechanism further including a drum rotatable'. about the axis of osclllation of the top rail and simultaneously slldable along said axis and adapted by such movement to wind-on portions of supporting ehainsto ef- 40v feet a collapsing or folding together of the slats, the operating mechanism further including a geardcvice operable by an endless chain and pulleymeans for eiecting the simultaneous rotatlve and slidingfactionA of the-drum independ.

45 ently of the gear mechanism for oscillating the top rail or carriage.l

Other novel objects of construction and opera- -tion will appear as the following detailed description develops, in view of the annexed drawings, in

50 which: l l

' Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the novel blind structure; f

Fig. 2 is a horizontal Section of the blind operfatingmechanism and .taken along lines 2-2 -of Flan -chain drum and taken along lines 4-.4 of Fig. 3; A 5

Fig.5 is avertical section taken along lines 6-5 of Fig. 3 and showing particularly the keyed or square rotating shaft for the drum;

Fig. 6 is a; vertical section taken along lines 6- 15 of Fig. 2 and showing particularly the drivl0 ing mechanism for oscillating the carriage;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section along lines I-l of Fig. 2 andshows the trunnion bracket oscillated` by the mechanism of Fig. 6;

Fig. -8 is a vertical section through the roller l5 and carriage taken along lines 8 8 of Fig. 2 and shows particularly the `idling bracket and rollers partially supporting vthe main drum or roller;

Fig. 9 is another vertical section taken along 20 lines 9-9 of Fig. 2 and shows another feature of the idling bracket which provides an idling roller for the chains; while Fig. 10 is a. vertical section through the center of the blind operating mechanism taken along lines Iii-Ill of Fig. 3 andshowing the central supporting bracket.

: The embodiment of the invention shown for purposes of illustration discloses in Fig. 1 a plu-v in normally spaced relation' between twin sets of chains I3.by means of clips I6 of the type set forth and particularly described in the co-pending application of William Wade, Serial No. 7,528,l iiled February 21, 1935, Patent No. 2,103,394,1Dec. 28, 1937, -and which provide al simple pivotalconnection between the edge of the slat andan adjoining link of one of the chains of the pair, the other chain of the pair being freely movable through the connecting 40 link between the clip I6 and the first mentioned chain except in the case of the bottommost slat to which both chains are attachedfit being understood, however, that any suitable means for pivotally attaching the chain to the edge o f the lslat may be utilized in place of the novel clip means referred to. .l

' Each pair ofsupporting chains I3 includes a1 front chain which may also be designated by the character 'I4 and. a rear chain I5, as seen for 5g that the lower Slat-,is preferably heavier than as v chains I5 are each attached to the main roller.

or drum 22 along 'a longitudinal peripheral element thereof at points spaced suitably in a. longitudinal direction, as shown for example at 24 and 26 in Fig. 2, the purpose of this particular manner of attaching the chains being to eiect a proper winding of the chain onto the drum as the frs latter is rotated and simultaneously moved along its axis of rotation by the means and in the manner hereinafter to be described in detail.

The upper extremities ofv each of the-outer4 chains I4 of each pair pass through the top rail or carriage 28 and are secured thereto by means of an elongated pin 21 having a central depending loop which engages the end link of each chain and which extends in a longitudinal direction on the inner side of the carriage and which is secured against removal by means of an ear 30 pressed thereagainst and extending from the adjacent idling brackets 32 (Figs. 2 and 9).

The blind structure is adapted to be attached to the usual window frame i9 by means of end brackets 34 and 36, each having upset side portions such as the top portion 34' shown in Fig. 4 adapted to t ilush against the corner portions of the Window casing, as shown for example in Fig. 3. The vertical wall portions 34 and 36 of each of these supporting brackets have an inwardly offset portion 35 and 31 in which the trunnions 38 and 48 for the main carriage are seated.

The main carriage 28 comprises a. generally elongated trough-like plate or member having at each of its extremities an upstanding bracket 42, one of which is provided withan aperture 44 which embraces the worm stud 62, and the other of which at the opposite extremity of the carriage has an aperture 44 which embraces the trunnionv stud 38'. Y

The trimnion '38 includes a main gear sleeve or bore portion into which is axially slidable an adiustable stud portion 38' having a laterally exltending set screw 39 which passes through an elongated slot 4lv in the bottom portion of the carriage plate. By loosening the set screw 39,'

the stud portion 38' of the trunnion 38 may be moved into or out of the sleeve portion thereof; asvseen in Fig. 3, so as to permit the removal of the ventire carriage unit' where desired.l

The opposite trunnion comprises a stud portion 48 which terminates in a yokeshaped rocking arm 49 best seen in Figs. 2 and 6 and 'I in combination This armincludes a laterally extending wall portion 46 having an arcuate edge. in'

which are cut a plurality of gear' teeth 48 and having a forward laterally extendingupset portion from which extend a pair of axially'extendf ing studs 58 having reduced end portions. 5| `extended through the laterally extending end brackets 42 of the main carriage. 'Thus the carriage 28 may be oscillated about its long axis on the slidable stud 38' and the yoke trunnion 46, as

In order to eiict a rocking or oscillating movement of the carriage 28, the right hand mounting bracket 86 is provided with a worm gear 52 supported or iournaled in a .pair of upset ears 64 (Fig. 6) in such position ,that the worm meshes with the geared edge portion 48 of the lateralyoke extension 46. The shaft of' the' worm v52 .terminates in a pulley having. a iiuted pulley track sleeve 51 identical with the pulley sleeve 11 shown in Fig. 1 and which is adapted to prevent the chain from slipping off the pulley and to assure positive and smooth movement of the chain. By movement of the chain 58 in either direction, the worm 52 may be rotated and by its engagement with the geared edge portion 48 of the yoke on trunnion 48 the top rail or carriage 28 may be rocked about its horizontal axis. This rocking movement will effect a tilting of the individual slats of the blind since, as previously pointed out, one extremity of each chain of each pair of chains is secured to the carriage and to the supporting clips I6, and as the carriage rocks, one such chain moves in a descending direction while the corresponding chain on the opposite side of the slats moves in an ascending direction, and since the.

vidual axes from a substantial vertical position-- to a substantially horizontal position, representing respectively the completely closed and completely open condition of the blind.

As will be observed in Figs. 2, 3 and '7, th trunnion 48 is provided with a fixed gear59 which in turn meshes with a riding gear 60 on the outwardly extending portion of a Worm spindle 62 which is rotatable in an apertured portion of the right-hand end plate or bracket 44' of the top rail 4or carriage. The trunnion 40 is immovably secured to the oiset portion 31 of the bracket 36 and likewise the xed gear 59 is immovable on the trunnion 40. Thus when the worm 52 is rotated'by the chain as aforesaid, and when the carriage is tilted as a result thereof, the riding gear 66 will simply idle around the periphery of the fixed gear 59 as the entire carriage moves about its longitudinal pivotal axis which corresponds to the axis of the trunnions 4ll and 38?, and in this action the worm turnsslightly.

The drum 22 is hollow, and as seen in Fig. 3 the worm shaft 62 extends within the drum an appreciable distance, the end wall of the drum having a tooth 63 engageable with the worm threading such that if the drum vbe rotated, the worm shaft 62 will tend to remain stationary as a result of the stationary disposition of the fixed gear 58, and as a result the tendency of the drum" is to move axially toward the left simultaneously with. its rotating movement.

For this purpose a square shaft 64 has been provided at the other or left hand extremity of the drum 22 and extends from within the drum through a square opening in the corresponding axial end wall 65- for a pivoted connection with the yoke 66 on the extremity of a stud supporting .a driving' gear 68 which is journaled in the end Y drum 22, a second worm 12 is rotatably supported in the left-handy mounting bracket and a large' gear -14g. rotatable with the trunnion 38. The worm 12 terminates at its outward extremity in'apulley 16 provided witha pulley sleeve 11 similar lto the pulley structure 51 on the opposite or right-hand side of the carriage. as seen in Figs. 2 and 3'.

drum to shift along its axis toward the left, the

gear 60 on the worm stud remaining stationary. `'I'he carriage 28 is supported intermediately of its axial extremities by means of a central arm 8l), best'seen in Fig. '10, and which has a recessed .end portion in which is seated a circular bearing portion 82 of a bracket 83.

The drum 22 is additionally supported interv mediate its-extremities by'a pair of spaced idling brackets 32 (Figs. 1, 8 to 10) in the form of substantially circular lmetallic plates with a large central opening through which. the drum extends, and having lower portions folded back upon itself and rotatably supporting a pair of oppositely disposed idling rollers 86 each engageable with the periphery of the drum 22 and affording a support which assures the smooth rotation of the drum while at the same time permitting slidable axial movement of the same.

The brackets 32 are also provided at their lower extremities with a lateral extension on a side thereof opposite to the rollers 86 through which are extended mounting screws attaching the brackets in an upright position to the inner f floor of the carriage 28V. This lateralextension is also provided with a portion bent back upon itself andl rotatably, seating a pair of oppositely disposed idling pulleys 88 over which the inner chains I pass in their winding movement onto the drum22, it being noted as in Fig. 9 that one of the chains I5 passes over its pulley 88 beneath the drum 22 and aroundthe same for attachment thereto at the point 26 in such manner that during the rotative movement of the drum both chains I5 will be wound thereon in the same advancingor receding direction.

The foregoing particular disposition and attachment of the inner chains I5 to the drum 2i.v is of importance in conjunction with the simultaneous axial and rotative movement of the drum under urgence of the driving worm 12. corresponding to the shutter raising mechanism seen at the left of Figs. 1 and 2 for example.

It will be observed that the right-hand end of `the carriage, as seen in ,3,has an axially directed stud 6I which is engageable with a stud 60'v (see also Fig,l 1)v formed on one axial face of gear 60. This provision prevents the carriage being rotated more than one complete revolution and is important in that it not only provides means for keeping the worm in properly adjusted position after assembly, but also prevents the roller being screwed in so tightly as to jam it.

`Asvthe drum rotates, vboth of the chains I5 wind onto the same and creep towardvthe right as the drum slides ail'allytoward the left, the chains being wrapped onto the drum in a uniform side by side relation as the rotation progresses. During thismovement it is well to observe that the. outer chains :I4 of each set I3 having their respective extremities anchored to the lower slat and to the carriage, and each being attached or' linked 'with the clips I8 supporting the vindividual slats, necessarily fold up as the slats are raised into folded condition by manipulation of the chain 18. The end brackets 84 and 88 having been secured in the upper corner portions of the window casing I8, the operating mechanism may readily be removed for any purpose by loosening the set screw I8 (Fig. 3) and sliding the trunnion stud 38' inwardly of the carriage to disengage it from the sleeve portion of the trunnion 38, whereupon the carriage may-be slid ofi' of the pins 5I on the yoke arms 50 at the right-hand extremity of the structure.

The driving -worm 12 is seated at its extremity oppositethe` pulley 16 in a threaded sleeve 90 having a plug 92 threadably movable therein against the axial end of the worm shaft so that the play in' this shaft may be taken up as desired.

',Io assure the uniform motion of the shutter assembly both in a verticaldirection and in a -directionabout the respective axes of the slats,

tracks or channel strips 96 (Fig. l) are attached to the vertical sides of the windowcasing, andr the lowermost slat I8 has a pair of endwise and axially extending pins 98 receivable in the channel parts lof the strips 496. The lower and heavier slat I8 pivots about the pins 98 and also rises and falls in a uniform linear direction with these pins sliding in the channel strips.

A When the mechanism is in position on a window casing, it may be desirable to shield the operating mechanism from view, and for this purpose we have provided a shield plate or valance I00 having edgewise lip or channel formations I02 along its longitudinal edgeportions and receivable on end brackets IM and a middle bracket '|06 having divergent, offsetv edge portions |08 likewise receivable in the lip or channel portions of the cover plate, the formation of the channel portions AI02 and the offset end portions |08 of the middle bracket being dimensioned so that the cover plate may be snapped into place to effectively shield the mechanism from view.

It is to be understood that the foregoing particular description of the invention. isin no way intended to limit the disclosure to the precise details recited, and it is our intention to avail ourf selves of all the modifications'variations and adaptationsof the lnovel mechanism set forth and as provided in the annexed claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

' 1. In a blind of the type having a'plurauty of spaced slats and flexible members cooperating with said slatsto raise and lower the same and also to pivot the said slats about their respective axes, operating mechanism comprising supporting means, a carriage member supported by said supporting 'means for movement about a horizontal axis and having flexible slat engaging ele' ments connected thereto and operable to tilt said riage, said winding member having flexible elements attached thereto and to one of said slats such that a simultaneous rotative and sliding movement of said winding member will effect a winding thereon of the said flexible element attached thereto to effect a raising and lowering of said` slats, said mechanism' further includingA manually operable-means for rotating said carriage, manually operable means for rotating said winding member independently of said carriage.

and means operable when said winding member is slats when said carriage is rotated about the said ,60-

rotated to slide the same along its axis of rotation.

2. In a Venetian blind, bracket means attachable to opposite sides of a window casing, a top rail pivotally supported between said bracket means for movement about a horizontal axis, means operable to oscillate said top rail about'. said axis, iiexible means attached to said rail and to the slats of said blind .vhereby the oscillation of said top rail will eect a tilting of said slats about their respective axes, a drum rotatably supported by said top rail between said bracket means and slidable along its axis of rotation, means including a slide shaft supportably engaging said drum at one end thereof on said top rail and including driving means operable to rotate said drum, means including a threaded shaft axially aligned with said drum and engageable with a member thereon to provide a mounting for the drum at its opposite end to effect sliding movement thereof when the drum is rotated, and flexible means connecting said drum and said slats whereby the latter may be moved in a vertical direction by the rotation of said drum.

3. Operating #mechanism for a Venetian blind including a pair of bracket members constructed for attachment vto opposite sides of a window casing, a top rail having pivotal support between said brackets, a plurality of blind slats connected in normally spaced relation by exible elements attached to said top rail, gear driven trunnion means on one of said brackets supportably engaging an end of said top rail and operable to pivot the latter in opposite directions to tilt said slats, means mounted on said top rail for raising and lowering the slats and including Fa drum mounted on the top rail for both rotative and axially sliding movement by means of a slide shaft member rotatably mounted on said top rail at one end of said drum and slidably engaged by the drum and also keyed with the latter to rotate the same` when the slide shaft is rotated, driven gear means on the corresponding and remaining bracket memberand having driving engagement with said slide shaft, the opposite end oi said drum being rotatably supported on a worm shaft rotatably mounted on the top rail and provided with gear means engageable with a stationary gear member mounted on pivot means cooperable` with said trunnion whereby said worm shaft is held stationary when said slide shaft is rotated, the gear means on said worm shaft idling around said stationary gear means when the top rail is tilted. g

4. ln a Venetian blind structure of the type inbluding a plurality oi slats suspended from a top' rail mounted between bracket members for rocking movement, slat control mechanism including a drum mounted on said top rail for both rotative and axially sliding movement and having connection by means of flexible elements with the lowermost one of said slats whereby all o the latter may be raised and lowered by turning said drum, means for pivotally mounting said rail between said bracket means. and ineludiA driven gear mounted on one of said manually operable driving gear means a. id driven geanqnn means extending from one end of said top rail ardally into said driven "lids pivotal? said one top raii and extending axially into end drum to provide a sliding ss latter, means on said sn driving engagement with other said bracket means being provided with a gear-driven trunnion supportably engaging the opposite end of said top rail and pivotable about a iixed shaft attached to said bracket means, and a worm shaft extending axially into the corresponding end of said drum and pivotally mounted at the corresponding end of said top rail and provided with gear means engaged with a stationary gear on said xed shaft whereby said worm shaft is held against rotation when said drum is rotated responsive to rotation of saidv slide shaft, said gear means on the worm shaft riding on said fixed gear means on the xed shaft when the top rail is tilted.

5. In a traverse roller mechanism for a Venetian blind, a top rail and bracket means for pivotally mounting the same at its ends in a window or like structure, the pivotal mounting at one end including a driven trunnion pivotable in opposite directions to tilt said top rail, a stationary toothed element supported coaxially with said trunnion, a drum pivotally mounted on said top rail by a shaft member having axially sliding engagement at one end thereof and pivotally supported on the top rail, driven gear means for rotating said shaft and drum, the latter having support at the opposite axial end on a threaded member extending threadably therein and pivotally supported on said top rail, said threaded member having a toothed element engaged with said stationary toothed element and effective to prevent rotation of said threaded element when the drum is turned regardless of the tilted position of the top'rail.

6. In a traverse roller mechanism for a Venetian blind, a carriage rail, spaced mounting 1 brackets pivotally supporting said rail at its ends and adapted for attachment to a window structure, a traverse roller having slidable engagement with a first main shaft means at one axial end of the roller, said rst shaft means being pivotally supported by means on said carriage rail and also being engaged with said roller to rotate with the latten'a driving gear having an axial bore and mounted on said bracket means at one end of the carriage rail, pin means mounted for movement onsaid carriage rail into and out of said axial bore for pivotal support of the rail at that end, a second main shaft member threadably engaging and supporting the opposite end of said roller and pivotaliy supported by means on said carriage rail, the mounting bracket at the corresponding end of the carriage rail having a pivot shaft, a trunnion pivotally mounted on said pivot shaft, driven gear means on said last-mentioned bracket for pivoting said trunnion, a xed gear element-on said pivot shaft-and engaged with a gear element on said second main shaft for rotation ofthe latter when said carriage rail is tilted as aforesaid.

' 7. lin a traverse roller mechanism for Venetian blinds, a rocking top'rail and means for rocking the same, a traverse roller mounted on said rail, coacting driving and driven gear means at one end of said roller for rotating the latter and enacting worm, idling, and fixed gear means at the opposite end of the roller for effecting axial.

I viding axial support for said end of the roller on the rail, coacting driving and driven gear' means for rotating said slide shaft, an idling gear on said screw shaft, and a fixed gear element immovable relative to both the roller and head rail and gaged by said idling gear to restrain the ser y, f shaft against rotation when said roller is rotat di.

9. Operating mechanism for a Venetian blind of the type including a plurality of spaced blind slats and flexible supporting and control members therefor, said mechanism comprising supporting bracket means attachable to a Window casing, a carriage pivotally supported by said bracket means for movement about a. horizontal.. axis, manually operable gear'meohanism for moving said carriage about said axis, ay Winding drum stipported on said carriage, said drum being simultaneously rotatable and slidable relative to. its axis of rotation, manually operable gear' mechanism for rotating said drum, and means cooperable with said last mentioned gear mechanism for effecting a vsliding movement oi saiddrum when the same is rotated whereby the said :flexible elements may be Wound onto the drumv to eiect a raising and lowering of said slats, and said carriage may be rotated about a horizontal axis as aforesaid to edect a tilting oi said slats.

l0. In a Venetian blind, traverse roller mechaf nism comprising a head rail pivoted on opposite ends for tilting motion, a traverse rollery mounted on said head rail at one end'by means oi a keyed shaft arranged for rotation 'with said roller and also permitting axially sliding movement of said roller, the remaining end of said roller being supported by a wormshaft having driving engagement with the roller and arranged to eieet axially sliding movement of said roller when the same is turned by said keyed shaft, means for rotating said keyed shaft, means held in a stationary position relative to said head rail and arranged to movabiy engage said Worm shaft so as, to hold the latter against movement when.v said roller is turned, said last-mentioned means, together with said means for rotating the keyed shaft being arranged and constructed to permit relative rocking' movement of the rol-ler respective thereto when, said head rail is tilted in opposite directions.

11. In ay head rail structure for a Venetian blind, a head rail and means mounting the same for rocking movement in a window easement or the like, means for rocking said head rail, e traverse roller arranged on said head rail for both axially sliding and rotative movement, means for actuating said traverse roller, said roller being supported at its opposite ends for rotative movement on the head rail, and means providing additional rotative support for the roller between its ends, said means including a relatively rigid member encircling the roller and attached to head rail in the region between the ends of the rollen, said rigid member having roller elements mounted thereon in cireuinierentially spaced relation relative to the traverse roller and arranged to supportably engageperipheral portions of the traverse roller for the purpose set forth.

12. In a tilting head rail structure' for Venetian blinds, a head rail having blind operating mechanism mounted thereon and further having support at one end on means engaged with the head rail by movement of the latter in the direction or its long axis, a gear arranged at the opposite end of the head rail for cooperation with said blind operating mechanism, said driving gear having an axial .bore and said head rail being demountably supported at the corresponding end by means of an axially sliding pinthereon engaged in said here of the driving gear in such manner that by said pin from the bore the head rail may be withdrawn from the supporting means lat the remaining end thereof 'by axial movement of the rail for the purpose o dismounting the latter.

i EDWIN NORTH.

lll 

